Can anybody recommend good online drum lessons? I'm between mikes lessons and stephens drum shed, and I'm also open to any suggestions. I'm self taught but I'd really like to start from the basics, so that I can learn correct techniques, grips, how to hold the sticks, etc. I would get local lessons, but there aren't any qualified teachers in my area. I want to eventually get to the point where I can play my favorite punk/metal, as just a few of my favorite drummers are Chris Adler, Brann Dailor, George Kollias, and Derek Roddy. Thanks for any help

I spent my first year at Drumeo and loved it.. and would do it again in a heartbeat. The only people i have ever seen say bad things about it are people that were never members (just putting that to help stop the onslaught that happens when the site is mentioned) Also.. free trial.... so.. yeah.. easy to see for yourself:)

I'm taking some online lessons right now, via Skype, with actual instructors. These lessons are not for drums, but I think the same ideas would apply.

My guitar instructor has his camera positioned so that I can see his guitar, both hands, and mine is set up the same. Sometimes he'll call out my technique and show me how to better approach the fret board. Moments like this are highly valuable, and something you cannot get from a pre-recorded lesson or video.

With my Music Theory instructor, it's mostly face-to-face on Skype, although he will sometimes move his camera so that I can see a whiteboard, or we move cameras to have views of piano keyboards. Skype sometimes has bad moments between US and France, even during what might be a low-traffic time.

In both cases, these instructors had me answer some questions ahead of time, so that they could determine my proficiency / skill / knowledge level, and then customize the lesson to fit what I'm seeking.

I'll certainly watch videos, and enjoy DRUMEO. They have some great information. But if I ever have questions, I'm not certain they'll get answered, and anything I might be doing wrong will never get noticed or addressed.

Videos are great, but an instructor, in person or online, is next level.

I'm taking some online lessons right now, via Skype, with actual instructors. These lessons are not for drums, but I think the same ideas would apply.

My guitar instructor has his camera positioned so that I can see his guitar, both hands, and mine is set up the same. Sometimes he'll call out my technique and show me how to better approach the fret board. Moments like this are highly valuable, and something you cannot get from a pre-recorded lesson or video.

With my Music Theory instructor, it's mostly face-to-face on Skype, although he will sometimes move his camera so that I can see a whiteboard, or we move cameras to have views of piano keyboards. Skype sometimes has bad moments between US and France, even during what might be a low-traffic time.

In both cases, these instructors had me answer some questions ahead of time, so that they could determine my proficiency / skill / knowledge level, and then customize the lesson to fit what I'm seeking.

I'll certainly watch videos, and enjoy DRUMEO. They have some great information. But if I ever have questions, I'm not certain they'll get answered, and anything I might be doing wrong will never get noticed or addressed.

Videos are great, but an instructor, in person or online, is next level.

A valid concern.. but i can say from experience.. no questions go unanswered.. and if you have issues with specific things you can send a video and they get to it quickly.. i'm not going to do ads for them..but just answering that one thing. they actually care and are on top of the students and want them to get better :)

P.S. i used to just send in joke questions to mess with them and even those got notice and replied to..

Mike's lessons is pretty amazing for beginners all the way to advanced drummers. I have heard good things about Drumeo as well.

At the end of the day it is whatever one that is going to make you go practice. Mikes lessons comes with a nice Facebook family that is very motivating and I made a bunch of friends off of it as well. I'd try each one for a few months and see what fits your drumming the best.

Mikes lessons is pretty good as he goes over your playing, is very active with his students and answers your questions.

You can always switch but I think finding the teacher you connect with the most is your best bet.

Just to clarify, skype lessons are real lessons (with limitations), what sites like Drumeo and Mikeslessons offer are not lessons-- they're videos, with some kind of feedback mechanism to occasionally let you know if you've figured them out correctly. Actual lessons involve a personal relationship where an expert actually looks at your playing and tells you what you need right now, and works with you until you have it together well enough to practice it correctly. It's an entirely different thing, and while it's not as cheap as the video sites, with an expert teacher it's a better value.

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skype lessons have their place, as well as the "video lessons" as well as in person.

I don't know your ability. If your brand new, get an in person instructor so they can correct improper technique. That is hard to do over skype for a beginner showing them how to hold sticks, adjust settings and heights, tune etc.

once you know how to play properly and set up your kit you need a lesson plan. Going to see something every week holds you accountable. Online sites don't do so quite as much. I have taught on Skype and in person and it is a very different experience.

That being said.If you are a self motivated person that practices and can stay focused, those online sites are great for motivation, ideas, and structure. It's easy to fall off the wagon if you don't have someone to report to is the main issue. And sometimes the lesson plans are not as tailored to you. This can also be a good thing to make you get out of your comfort zone.

I'll often teach students wanting to learn metal a different genera to work on left foot stuff. They can crush out 16th notes all day on a double pedal doing singles, but their independence sucks. Trying to keep time on the left foot for upbeats, during fills and syncopation and modulation/displacement stuff does wonders.

How do you guys set up for online lessons? Do you use an iPad? Where do you put it?

I have a projector setup that projects onto a wall about 15' in front of my drums with a 8' wide picture.. that's hooked to a PC.. so i can watch lessons or play along with youtube all night if i want.. with headphones..

That's awesome :) I tried mikes when he had a free trial thing.. wasn't for me.. but i have to get back to some training. i have gotten into the habit of just sitting down and playing and not actually learning. which means i have stagnated for a year.. but i'm much better at stuff i could already do :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groov-E

I went from Drumeo for a year to Mikeslessons.com for two years and then took a 6-month break due to hectic work and family and band schedule.

For a couple of months now I went ahead and took free trials at a couple of other places, and yesterday I re-joined mikeslessons for 6 months.

For me, it is the best. I get to browse through the library, select specific items to practice (mostly world grooves, grooves, fills and independance exercices) and work my ass off.

It is satisfying and gratifying beyond words once you get those world rythms down.

I can say I have grown more every year I have been with him than in the previous 20 years combined, and maybe more.

I'm more interested in how the player sees what he needs to see, but this is a separate interesting question, too.

You just move the camera to where each one needs, in Skype you have a double screen, where you see what you want from the student, and, at the same time, you can see what the student see from you, so you can adjust that all the time, never had a problem teaching any subject.

I leave two chairs to basically put the laptop FAST on one or the other...(look at previuos photo I posted, please).